Owning a concession stand business allows you flexibility and control over your work schedule.[1] You can see your creative vision through from start to finish. With good planning, your concession stand, whether it’s a permanent booth, cart, or moveable trailer, can become a highly profitable business with relatively low start-up costs compared to a restaurant.

Steps

Part 1

Creating Your Business Plan

1

Determine your target audience. You should have a general idea of your selling goals. Where do you want to sell? Who do you want to sell to?

If you want to sell to kids at sporting events, for example, your price points and menu items will likely be different than if you want to sell food at local art shows.

2

Consider mobile versus stationary. Based on your goals, you should determine whether you want to create a stationary concession stand or something more mobile, like a trailer, which you can easily take to various types of events.[2]

If you plan to have a more niche and specific menu, a mobile concession business might be the best option for you.

If you already have a stationary venue you want to pursue, like a sports stadium, then you’ll want to plan for an immovable stand.

Be aware that different local laws may govern trailers and food trucks than immobile stands.

3

Write down your company’s purpose. As with any business, you want to first create your statement of purpose. This will help you to clearly envision what your business will be.

The purpose is a simple statement without any complex financial information.

An example of a purpose statement might be: “I want to sell Greek gyros to people in southern North Carolina, and I will target local farmers markets.”

4

Make specific goals and objectives.[3] Before you begin operating your concession stand or even purchase your equipment, you want to have specific goals.

You want to make sure that the goals you set are measurable, specific, and reasonable. Use clear, concise language. Make sure everyone you work with, no matter their positions, understands both your short-term and long-term goals.

5

Create a marketing strategy. Understanding how you’re going to market your product can be an important way to get initial business and funding.

Social media is important, especially if you want to create a mobile concession stand. Spend some time working on your presence on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.[4] You should use your social media presence to drum up excitement even before you open your doors.

The name of your concession stand and your branding are important to your success.[5]

6

Get licensed and insured.[6] You’ll need the proper licensing before you can begin serving food.

Common licenses required in food service include: a food service establishment permit, a general business license, a food safety permit, and an alcohol beverage license if you plan to serve alcohol.

If you have a mobile concession stand, you will need to comply with licensing requirements in all the cities and counties you serve.

Part 2

Creating Your Menu

1

Decide on a theme. You’ll want to work on creating your menu before you buy the equipment for your concession stand.

Your theme could have a cultural influence, like Mexican or Vietnamese style food, or it could simply be classic ballpark fair. This will depend on your personal passion, and your venue. For example, if you already know you want to sell in a football stadium, you’ll want to consider traditional food like hot dogs, nachos, and soda.

Your theme will make the dishes on your menu fit together and make sense.

2

Factor in cost and labor. You don’t want all of your options to include really expensive ingredients or labor intensive processes.

You want to have a range of cost across dishes. You don’t want to have to stock too many ingredients at once.

3

Set realistic prices.[7] As you are creating your menu, you want to keep rough estimates of how much your dishes will cost.

You want to make a profit, but don’t set your prices unreasonably high. Look at the local competition for a guide.

Also, don’t try to lower your price to be more competitive at a rate that isn’t sustainable for your business and your costs.

4

Decide how to display your menu. You can choose permanent printings or signs, or choose a menu board that you can change.

If you want to change your menu often, you can also use social media as a place to post your menu in addition to on a sign like a chalkboard.

If you plan on printing a sign, it is advisable to wait a few weeks after you open your stand to business. That way, you can make any adjustments to the menu that you’d like.

5

Start small. Don’t make your menu too expansive in the beginning. You can always add on later.

You want to minimize complicated factors in calculating costs, and make sure your menu is manageable for your new business.

Part 3

Figuring Out Your Set-Up

1

Find a vehicle or stand. This is the backbone of your business and crucial to beginning your set-up. You’ll want to consider size based on what you want to cook and where you want to have your vehicle or stand.

Think about buying used.[8] Just like buying a car, there is a significant market for used concession stands and concession trailers. Spend time looking around.

Buying used can help you save money and own your stand more quickly.

2

Think about your equipment. What equipment you will need depends upon your menu.[9]

You’ll most likely need a refrigerator for cold storage and space for dry storage.

You’ll want counter space to prep and plate.

The cooking machines you will need depend upon food. For example, if you’re making fresh French fries, you’ll need a deep fryer. Or, if you’re making popcorn, you’ll need a popcorn maker.

Part 4

Assembling a Team

Start with your personal connections in the business and then move outward when looking for great employees.

2

Look for leadership.[11] Especially in a concession stand, where there are likely to be only a few people working at once, you want to hire people who are self-starters.

During an interview, give potential employees a problematic scenario and ask how they would solve it.

3

Do trial shifts. This is the best way to make sure that a potential hire is a good fit for your set-up.

Make sure to pay adequately for trial shifts.

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